Around 2,500 people from all over Tuscany gathered in the Tuscan capital for the Europe for Peace initiative. In Rome, on the other hand, rainbow flags were waving in the square, the red ones of the CGIL, the Sant’Egidio community, Emergency and the words ‘peace’ and ‘no to war’ were chanted in chorus in the Imperial Forums, with 2,000 people marching. The same number reached in the Ligurian capital at the event of the autonomous collective of port workers
Circa 2,500 people by the hand around the Uffizia Firenze2 miles a Roma e Genovaabout 10 thousand BC Berlin. The day after the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Italy and Europe take to the streets with various peace demonstrations. Not only in big cities, but also in small municipalities, with associations and civil society leading the marches demanding an immediate cease-fire and to enter into negotiations to reach an understanding between the parties.
The most popular in Italy, from what we learn, is the square of Florence. In the Tuscan capital about 2,500 people, from all over the Tuscanyrallied for the initiative of Europe for Peace to say ‘yes’ to peace and ‘enough’ to the war in Ukraine and all world conflicts: in Piazza dei Giudici, speeches by the organizers alternated with musical and artistic moments, while a large group of people formed a suggestive chain human around the Uffizi. Among the speeches there was also that of the general secretary of CGIL Toscana, Rossano Rossi: “Tuscany, this weekend, through torchlight processions, garrisons and initiatives sent a strong message of peace, we owe it to our children and grandchildren. War cannot be stopped with war, there is a need for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of a negotiated true with the involvement of United Nations an extraordinary effort is needed to find a political solution to the conflict. It is the civilian populations who pay the price for this war and for the many others that have been forgotten and war is truly ‘a wicked choice’, as he defined it Pope francesco on multiple occasions. We must give our children peace, not a rifle”.
In Rome, on the other hand, they waved in the square rainbow flagsthe red ones of the CGILfrom the community of Sant’EgidioOf Emergency and the words ‘peace’ and ‘no to war’ were chanted in chorus ai Imperial Forumsfrom where the torchlight procession organized by the network started Europe for peace. At the head of the procession the banner of the movement led by the mayor, Robert Gualtieriby the secretary of the CGIL, Maurizio Landini, and from the founder of Sant’Egidio, Andrew Riccardidirected towards Campidoglio square. “I am addressing the government – said Landini during his speech – We understand that at the moment there are subjects who would like to bring things to Ukraine, but cannot because the Ukrainian government does not issue them a visa. We are at the madness, where you send weapons but the help of support is refused”. And he then wanted to underline the population’s support for the pacifist movements: “We represent the majority of public opinion that does not want war but wants peace. We are not only pacifists, we are radically against any war and the goal we want to achieve is to overcome war as an instrument for regulating conflicts between states”.
Among the most attended also the demonstration in Genoa, where the dock workers gathered in the square, not new to demonstrations and protests against the sending of arms to countries at war, especially in Middle East. “Wars stop with revolutions”, we read on some of the signs, but also “Stop Bahri”, in reference to the ships of the Saudi fleet used to transport armaments and “Exit Italy from NATO”. More than 2,000 demonstrators arrived in the Ligurian capital for the mobilization called by calpthe autonomous collective of port workers, entitled “Down the guns, raise the wages”. For the first time, the route crossed part of the port areas from the inside, directed by Sampierdarena a DeFerrari square. Many acronyms participating, come on Cobas to parties like Refoundation and then grassroots unions, Usbport representatives of Leghorn e Civitavecchiacollectives from Padova, Milano, Torino, Roma, Napoligroups of studentsmovements antagonistsworkers’ representatives Gkn. “I am part of the group of Antithesis magazine – tells Daniele, 38 years old, from Padua – Collective that brings together many realities from Padua, Florence, Milan and other cities. We are here to bring our solidarity to the Calp fight against this war that is told to us every day in a unidirectional way. The problem has become lonely Putin, if the bills increase the problem is always Putin, but we know well that the problem is another and it is this system that produces this war. We are workers, students, we are different souls. As the polls also show, there is 60% of Italians who are against the sending of arms and against this military adventure”.
On the other hand, 10 thousand people on the street a Berlin under the slogan ‘Yes to diplomacy, no to sending arms’. The demonstration, at Brandenburg gatewas organized by a politician from the left-wing party Die Linke, Sarah Wagenknechtand by the feminist activist, Alice Schwarzerwho two weeks ago had published a ‘Manifesto for peace’ in which they asked the chancellor Olaf Scholz to “stop the escalation of arms supplies”, the ceasefire and the start of negotiations with Russia.